Lyceum Christmas Tales – free to stream

Tale 1 – A Fairy Tale by Morna Young.

In true homage to the Christmas Fairy Tale tradition, gift-wrapped in a Jackanory cosy Fair-Isle sweater format, Edinburgh Lyceum Theatre’s series of newly commissioned eight Christmas Tales begins with, appropriately enough – A Fairy Tale.

Storyteller, Cal MacAninch, relates the experiences of young girl Robin. So named by her parents for her waterfall cascade of red/auburn hair. But the traditional ‘once upon a time’ trope has a sombre tone as we learn that in this house – ‘Time is Broken’.

Even Robin’s father, a wizard at making and mending almost anything, can not mend it. Even sadder for them both – the one thing they miss most – broken forever – can never be mended.

This really does meet the honest criteria for a quintessential, log-fire in the heart, toe-tingler tale; an enchanting and utterly engaging story with a second-helping of plumb-pudding bonhomie.

MacAninch is the weaver of subtle underscore; a minimal stage-set has a Christmas tree, a neglected, curtain-torn casement window and two neglected, solemn, cuddling teddies. Our narrative soon establishes a Fairy’s Tale within itself as Robin, to her immense indignation, has her finger bitten by the Christmas Tree fairy she has rescued from the attic in emboldened attempt to lift her father’s spirits as the first flakes of snow begin to fall to her wonderment. Now then – for all the boys and girls aged four to ninety four or more who desperately want to discover how they can really, actually, honesty! Learn how to wield Fairy magic? Yes? Well then, you had best begin at the beginning – are you all sitting comfortably? Dream-weaver word enchantress, Morna Young has secret to share…

LYCEUM CHRISTMAS TALES LIVE

The final 4 Christmas Tales will be performed together in a special live show with musical interludes on a transformed Lyceum stage between 16-20 December.

Lyceum Christmas Tales is an advent calendar of 12 stories for audiences in Edinburgh and beyond, combining new and familiar festive tales penned and performed by some of Scotland’s best-loved writers, musicians and artists.

On 1 December, a free 15 minute Christmas story will appear on The Lyceum Website for families to share at bedtime. Then, a brand new story will appear every other day until 16 December – eight free stories in all. You can visit the Lyceum website to watch them on the website as they appear – or they will can send them direct to your inbox \ – just sign up for Christmas Tales by e-mail below.

Sign-up to receive the Lyceum’s eight free Christmas Tales by email

Sign up to receive the eight free Lyceum Christmas Tales videos via email, and get information about all the Lyceum Christmas Tales productions

Each fifteen-minute, family-friendly festive tale will be available to watch free throughout December, with stories ranging from tales of Christmas elves and angels to dung beetles and Greyfriars Bobby. 

https://lyceum.org.uk/whats-on/production/lyceum-christmas-tales

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